Tubular dispensing container



SePf- 25 1951 v MuscA'r ETAL 2,569,325

TUBULAR DISFENSING CONTAINER Filed Jan. l1, 1947 I Gttorneg Patented Sept. 25, 1951 Victor Muscat, Atlantic Beach, and Harold F. Temple, Elmont,A N. Y., assignors to Victor Metal Products" Corporation,"Brooklyn, N. Y., a

corporation of New "York Application YJanuarylll, 1947,v Serial No. 721,610

vThis invention relates to tubular'containers and particularly to those adapted to extrude ina-v terial therefrom.

f y' The invention contemplates the provision of a relatively rigid container carrying vat one end a `rotatable member adapted to cut off-a. slice or block of material extruded through an'opening in said end by the pressure on the material caused by the upward movement of a false bottom at the other end.

' The invention further contemplates the provi- Sion of a .dispensing container having relatively few parts including an axially movable bottom and a perforate rotatable top part, each of the parts being adaptedto be formed by an impact extrusion operation upon a slug of soft metal such as aluminum, the parts being quickly, easily and inexpensively assembled.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a combined package and dispenser adapted particularly for cheese of stiff putty-like consistency, wherein the cheese is normally held and sealed against contamination, but permitting the extrusion of a block of any desired length and of a predetermined cross sectional size and shape,

and also enabling the cutting olf of said block, whereafter the package may be resealedfforfsubsequent use. f 'Y The various objects ofV the invention will be clear from the description which follows and from the drawings, in which f Fig. 1 is a partial front elevational view and partial vertical sectional view'of a dispensing container showing one form ofthe inventionvas it appears with the top closed or sealed, themovable bottom being shown at the lower end of the container. Y l Fig.' 2 is a top plan view'thereof. f Fig. 3 is a similar view thereof, showinglthe extruded contents of the container shaded and the rotatable slicing cap of 4the container turned through an angle in the direction of the arrow to start the slicing off of the extruded contents. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View similar to Fig. l on an enlarged scale ofthe form of the invention shown in Fig. 1- but showing the bottom moved to the top of the container and the rotatable cap completely turned into its -topclosing position and cutting off the-protruding block of the contents of the container, the re-` movable cap being shown in'dash-dot lines Fig 5 vis a similar view of a modified' form of the invention showing the removable -cap iin place. f "f-Fg. 6 is a similar 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-5387) 2 form of the invention wherein the movable bottom is of substantially uniform diameter throughout, and may be moved up to the top of the container' to dispense substantially al1 of the contents. Y

In the practical embodiment of the invention shownV by way of example, the .dispensing container'comprises generally'the container I 0 which is open at its bottom and partly closed at its top bythe half end wall II, the rotatable` slicing cap I2 vand the removable slip cap I3, thev movable" bottom I4 being slidable vertically inside of the container. It will-be understood-that the parts mentioned may take somewhat'different shapes and may be connected-in different ways, and some such shapes and connections have herein been illustrated. y i j 'As shown in Figs. l to 4, the' rotatable slicing cap I2 is held to the'contairner IU by the inwardly projecting annular bead l5 engaging the similar bead I6 in the container wall. Hence the cap I2 may rotate around the container but cannot be lifted rfoif. The unbeaded or cylindrical part Il ofthe flange ofthe rotatable c ap I2 is preferably o'f the saine diameter'as the tubular part of' thev container I0', whereby the tubulan'slip cap I3 engages both of the parts- Ill'and I'I'when inz place to seal the top of the container as shown by the dash-dot lines of Fig. fl. Thepreferably straight edge AI8 on the half end wall I I `is arrangedvto extend past the centerline of the top endlof'the container and the remainder .of the topjis'open'as at I9, the opening I 9 being of lesser extent that a semi-circle and the half end wall II being preferably flat and of greater extent than a semi-circle. Similarly, the opening 20 inthe slicing cap I2 has a straight cutting edge 22 and is of lesser extent than a semi-circle and of the samejsizaas the opening I9, While the half end wall 2l ispreferably flat and of greater` extent than "a semi-circle and of the same size -as the half Wall II, the under face of the half wall 2I having at least some part in contact with the upper face of the half wall II at all times. l

It will now be clear thatthe rotatablel cap I2 may be turned on the container I0 to such a position (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) that ,the innermost portions of the half walls II and 2| overlap each other,.and the opening I9 of the container top is closed by the half Wall 2| of the cap I2 therebyto seal the top ofthe container when the tubularE slip`cap`ifI3 is removed. Saidl slip cap has a closed upperend '23 which` seals-titley top of the container"l 'even iff the rotatable capv I2- is'4 not lar container member I to force out therefroma or to extrude the contents when .snQhQQntents are in extrudable form. As has been indicated', the contents may be in the form of; sliceableor.

processed cheese harder :than cheesev of '-.the

spreadable variety, but softer thanthe yhan-1W cheeses and somewhat moldable under pressure.

The cheese package is madel by inserting the,

cheese into the container I U before'the bottom I4 is in place. After the bottom is insertedv into-the lower end, the lowermost edge of the container isfpreferably rolled `over the lowermost edgeiof` the-depending; flange oi ther-bottom Ilil=v as .atM tofprevent-removal or -loss of the bottomaandwto provide a `rounded or -rolledvedge l on Itherbottom of the container not likely to cut the handy-or iingersof the user-when the bottomv-is manipulated to. dispense the contents. With the-vari'- Qusfparts in theA positionsof Fig. 1, 4the package isadequately sealed and maykeep, in the "same manner-:as-.the vusual sealed cheese package.

To dispense some ofV ythe-."contents;y the tubular slip .cap Iiiiis removedV to expose the rotatablecap I2, which iszturnedvto bring theopening 2.0 thereof into registration-with; the opening t9v of themontainer. The vbottom I 4 isno w 'forced-up.- wardly'to press; uponY the contents ;ofthecontaner vand to force said contents out ofvthefopenings Ii3y and; insiemi-cylindrical form as; shownibyf=the linefshaded` block 2,5101* Fig. 3. When va blockgcr` quantity .of sufncient 'length .has :been extruded; .the rotatable cap4 vlf2 -is rotatedringthewdinection gar-the arrowof-fFig. 3. .Such rotation-:carriesithe uttngfedgew into the extruded or lprojecting .block to.shearoi"said block inthe plane of fthe contacting surfaces of the halfwallsL I -I -and- 2 -I V(Eigs. 3 and 4,)- thereby to provide, a block -or slice-to. bej used for tid-bits, sandwiches. or the like.

It will `be `.noted that Vall ofv'the parts of'wthe dispensing-container described are .of generally tubular andpreferably cylindrical form having thi-n walls andy being so shaped that .they` may` be-made of asingle piece of material economically .by theimpact extrusion method, It willalsobe seen that the bottom. I4 has a reduced upper end portionr26 to permit saidportlon to pass the bead I6 and toreachthe under face of thehalf wall I I.- thereby to empty .thecontainer ofitscontents; the portion 26 beingjoined to the enlarged part 2T of 'thebottomV by a conical portion 28. How.- ever, some of; the contents may remain inthe space 29 (Fig. 4)y above the bead IB. To minimize the amount ofthe contents not dispensed'and'the consequent waste, the beads connectingthey rotatable ca p Yto the container mayA be Varranged c otherwise than as Ashown in Fig. 4.

For example, as shown in Fig. 5, the bead-"30 on thecontainer member 3l maybe directed-ouh. .wardlyinsteadof inwardly andl the`beadf32 on=the rotatable cap member 33 may besimilarlydirected outwardly and fitted lto the bead, '30:to. .permit rotation of the cap 33zwhile.preventingseparation lthereof from the container. In -tliisycasejl the outermost. diameteroi the bead 32 is. preferably the same as; that tot: thencontainerl wherehnthc 4 slip cap member I3 frictionally engages the bead 32 as well as the container normally to seal the top of the package. The structure of the remainder of the dispensing package may be the same as that shown in Fig. 1 and hereinbefore described.

Inthe formofthe invention "shown in Fig. 6, the outwardly directed and coacting beads 35 and 36 in the container member 3'I and the rotatable `cap member 38 respectively are arranged in suffi- Y cient downwardly spaced relation to the half Walls' II and 2I to permit the slip cap I3 to becomet disposed'entirely above the beads and normallY-in frictiona-l lcontact with the cylindrical 'rwall 39 ofthecap -38 above the beads.

Hence the package does nothave an undue number of pro- .ectingthicknessesof material around the outer surface thereof, and in addition, the tubular movable zbottom 40 may be made of uniform diameter and nevertheless may reach the top of the container. Only a negligible Yamount of material may be caught inzthe` inside of the bead 35 and may not be dispensed. f

Whilecertain specific forms of the `invention have herein .been shown and described-various changes maybe` made therefrom-within the-spirit of the. invention dened VVin Vthe appendedfclaims.'

We claim:y

l. AY dispensing-containerl .comprising an., elongated tubular container member adapted.to..hold material 'tombe dispensed, `said ymer-nner having a substantially semi-circular iatgendwal-l closing slightly more than -half ofv one end vthereof and being open4 at theother end thereof=, and.atubul2n rotatable k1capfmemberV having an end -wall .of

substantially thesame size and` :shape as ltheencl wall of theicontainertmember., and-.interengaging beads on said members securingthe members 1together against separationr and-permitting relative rotation thereof;fthebeadsdoeing adiacentthe end walls and .extending inwardly.: of the -members; and amovablev tubular bottom-:in :thecontainer member havingfan vupper portionv reduced rinA diameter to clear the .-beads: when ythe vbottom ris movedfto thetopof the'fcontai-ner. i

2. Ardispensing container according-:to` claimnl.` includingva tubular slip capl havinga closed end and an open end, and removably fitted overcthe caprmemberA and having -a flange terminating below-the beadslandiengagingf-thecontainer'memfber and the cap member when in placeover the end walls of the/members.

3. A vdispensing container' comprising an felongated tubular cylindrical-member open.` athene end thereof and` having -slightly more than.halio? the other; end thereof closed :by a iiat end wall thereby to provide an opening in said otherfend-I the end wall havinga straight edge thereon parallelxtoand-arrangedfon one side of adiameter of said endwhereby said' opening is substantially semif-circulai', a tubular rotatable cap member havingan lend Wall arranged toseal the-open.- inglonthe rotation of` the capandbeing :of: slib,- -stantiallygthesame sizeandfshape as `the endwall ofv the,l elongated member and having a straight edge thereon 'servingas a cuttingsedgefparallel to and: ontheother side of vsaid diameter'when the opening is closed, corresponding portions.. of the'fend walls adjacent therespective 'straight edgesgoverlapping each' other-when the; open.- ing isclosed. the -areafofeachnof *thev openings-.adjacent lthe. end walls.; ofy fthemembers y being, 'the maximum :possible While permitting the; above mentioned sealing of said openings, a moirable is 'tubularabettom-fnormallyfat .theopen end crache elongated member and movable therein toward the other end thereof to extrude the contents of the container in the form of a semi-cylindrical block out through the openings of the members, said bottom having a generally cylindrical skirt engaging the inner surface of the elongated member, said elongated member terminating at the open end thereof in an annular bend of Substantially semi-circular cross section and having an annular groove therein normally receiving the lowermost edge portion of the skirt of the tubular bottom and thereby normally sealing said open end, half of the straight cutting edge operating to slice off the extruded block on the relative rotation of the members in one direction and the other half of said edge being operative to slice off an extruded block on the relative rotation of the members in the opposite direction, and a slip cap covering the cap member and having a closed end.

4. The dispensing container of claim 3 and interengaging beads on the elongated and cap members in proximity to the end walls to secure said members together against separation while permitting relative rotation thereof, the outermost part of the bead in the cap member being incoaxial alignment with the outermost surface of the elongated member, the skirt having an upper portion reduced in diameter to the least diameter of the bead of the elongated member whereby said upper portion is movable past the last mentioned bead, the slip cap having a smooth continuous flange of uniform inner and outer diameters depending from the closed end of the slip cap, the inner diameter being substantially equal to the diameter of the outermost surface of the elongated member and of the bead of the cap member, the inner surface of the slip cap oontacting the outermost surfaces of the cap member and the elongated member in the operative container-closing position of the slip cap.

5. A dispensing container comprising an elon gated tubular container member adapted to hold material to be dispensed, said member having a at end wall partly closing one end thereof and terminating in an inner straight edge, the member being open at the other end thereof and terminating at said end in an inwardly extending bend, the peripheral edge of the bend being in inward spaced relation to the inner surface of the member to provide an annular groove therebetween, a tubular cap member having an end I groove at said bend of the container member and being removable therefrom on upward movement of the bottom, the upper part of the skirt being of lesser diameter than the lower part thereof to clear said beads when the bottom is moved to the upper end of the container member.

6. The dispensing container of claim 5, the respective beads extending inwardly of the outermost surfaces of the cap member and of the container member, the container including a cylindrical slip cap having an inside diameter substantially equal to the outermost diameters of the members. f

7. The dispensing container of claim 5, the upper portion of the container member being of lesser diameter than the remainder thereof, the beads extending outwardly of the container and cap members, the outermost diameter of the bead of the cap member being substantially equal to the outermost diameter of the lower part of the container member.

8. The dispensing container of claim '7, the container including a cylindrical slip cap having an innermost diameter substantially equal to the outermost diameter of the lower part of the container member.

VICTOR MUSCAT. HAROLD F. TEMPLE. i

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,279,290 De Camps Sept. 17, 1918 2,085,446 Philippe June 29, 1937 2,206,209 Thorn July 2, 1940 2,208,840 Gialloreto et al July 23, 1940 2,270,935 Doering Jan. 27, 1942 

